leave hollywood to go work at the white house. gay, gay, gay, gay. world net daily says so. now the president is going to have to unveil his straight certificate. the long form one. i love these people. that does it for us tonight. let me start tonight with this. mitt romney. i remember when george wallace said there's not a dime's worth of difference between the republicans and democrats. well, today for those paying attention, there's not a dime's worth of difference between mitt romney and the republican fringe. sarah palin accused the president of palling with terrorists. romney accuses obama of

sympathizing with the attackers in the mid east. romney not only exploits the language of the right, he is enjoying it. birthers say obama doesn't belong with us, romney says he sympathizes with muslim killers. the state of kansas is deciding whether to let obama's name appear on the ballot. birthers are still at it. kansas secretary of state wants more evidence of the president's legitimacy to run. his birth certificate is not apparently enough. newt gingrich talks of good stamp president, and one republican state after another tries to limit minority voting, all making out the president making him the foreigner. in the words of john sununu, quote learn how to be an american. it is to convince the working class white guy that obama is not one of us, he is one of them, a foreigner, usurper with the enemies, and mitt romney is

overseeing every word of it. cynthia tucker is a columnist and ronald reagan, msnbc political analyst. cynthia, watching it all as i described it, everything going on, voter suppression, lingo, attack on the president sympathizing with the bad guys, never heard such a comprehensive effort to describe him as not american or in league with the enemy. your thoughts? >> this is all about appealing to racially resentful whites. and i have to tell you, i have been very disappointed and surprised by mitt romney's running his campaign this way. i met him back in 2007 when i was still editorial page editor at the atlanta constitution. he seemed smart, savvy, moderate, reasonable, and honorable, but i have to tell you, once he started running

those outrageous ads on welfare, i knew he had put his conscience, if he has one, in a blind trust for the rest of this campaign. not only are they a clear effort to run again the southern strategy at large, this is all about telling racially resentful whites that obama wants to change work requirements so that black people don't even have to work to get government benefits. that's what the ads say. it is an outrageous lie, on top of everything else, it's a lie. >> ron, go ahead. talk about the whole thing, this whole thing about what happened in libya, we will talk about the president's wonderful performance in a moment. the way they're attacking obama, it is not as if he left his guard down, it is as if he is sympathizing with the enemy, portraying him as the other. not just argument over competence and strength, it is over loyalty.

>> well, indeed, and cynthia is right, this is the southern strategy at large. look, chris, real substantive political leaders in america, presidents like fdr in the 30s or ronald reagan in the '80s tend to remake their parties in their own images, around their own core beliefs. mitt romney doesn't appear to really have a core that you can build anything around. so as a result, the party remakes him in its image, and the party, the republican party now is dominated by this -- you call them a fringe, but it is a larger chunk than that, these kind of tea party folks, and part of their thing is they demand feelty. you have to adopt their delusional world view which includes things like obama is a muslim manchurian candidate that hates america and is all about hates america and is all about

destroying the country. you have to blow the dog whistle constantly to reassure those people that you buy into that, and that is what romney is doing. we have seen what horrible trouble it has gotten him into with egypt and libya now. >> well, the dismaying if not terrifying thing, the way white people and republicans and democrats say they don't hear the whistle. anyway. i notice the republicans talking about obama this week after the american deaths in libya, the language of the other, portraying the president as siding with the enemy. tuesday night, rnc chair reince priebus tweeted obama sympathizes with attackers in egypt. wednesday morning, romney doubled down on earlier statement the president sympathized with the attackers. let's watch. >> i also believe the administration was wrong to stand by a statement sympathizing with those that breached our embassy in egypt, instead of condemning their actions. it's never too early for the united states government to condemn attacks on americans and

to defend our values. i think it's a terrible course for america to stand in apology for our values, instead when our grounds are being attacked and being breached that the first response of the united states must be outrage at the breach of the sovereignty of our nation. >> there's no space between this kind of talk and what we heard from sarah palin in the campaign four years ago. catch her act. >> we see an america of exceptionalism. yes. usa. usa! our opponent is someone who sees america as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists that

targeted their own country. >> this gets back to you, ron. i want you to take off here. we will get back to cynthia, but seems to me you found something interesting. instead of leading, he is shrinking down to something smaller than the campaign was. i can be crazy, i can talk like sarah palin, because that seems to be the language it takes to win a republican constituency. it is sad to watch somebody get smaller as the campaign goes on, reaching down to the people who think small and think everybody else is a foreigner but them, or a different ethnic group, they're black, i am white, whatever the game they're playing in their heads, somehow that justifies hatred. >> the irony of this for mr. romney i think is that he is doing this to further his own ambitions. thinks his words ultimately don't have real meaning. he can say whatever he needs to in the moment to get himself into the white house, but people looking at this, people who he needs to have vote for him see a

man without principle, see a man with no core, and see a man that's decidedly appallingly unpresidential. this business in libya recently, this was an opportunity. he had no real responsibility, of course, but it was an opportunity for him to sit in the big chair, to look presidential, to do things that -- say things that presidents do or should say, and he couldn't do it. he had to once again cater to this delusional far right, which has a completely twisted nonsense view, not just a foreign policy, but of the universe we live in. >> unfortunately the parallel universe you describe has moved into ours. the latest on the birther front, here it is in kansas. the state objections board is discussing removing the president of the united states from the november ballot, following complaint from a can san claiming he is is not a u.s. citizen. whose on there? three republicans.

they told them i don't think it is a frivolous objection. i do think the factual record could be supplemented. the president's mother was from kansas, cynthia. there they go again. mitt romney bragged he hadn't been asked about his birth certificate. let's catch this slur in action one more time. >> i love being home in this place where ann and i were raised, where both of us were born. ann was born at henry ford hospital, i was born at harper hospital. no one asked to see my birth certificate. they know this is the place we were born and raised. >> that's described after the fact as a joke, a slur at least. we see the joke of birtherism continues in kansas, birthplace of his mother, the president's mother. they're just pushing this thing. cynthia? >> this, chris, is another opportunity for romney to show that he is a leader and he's failed.

he could stand up and say this is nonsense, this is outrageous. i want the kansas republican party, secretary of state in kansas, to know that barack obama belongs on the ballot in kansas. he has not done that. this is another test of leadership that he has failed. you know, john mccain in 2008 called out the fringe elements. he said no, no, we're not going to sit here and say that the president wasn't born in this country. mitt romney seems unable to do that. ron, your father, when jimmy carter was unable to get the hostages out of iran, your father said this is a time for all americans to stand together. he didn't take that opportunity to bash carter, but mitt romney is unable to show that kind of

leadership. he has failed his 3:00 a.m. test. >> i just saw the clip of president reagan doing what cynthia described so well, in the midst of the desert those guys were killed and incredibly difficult challenges to get the hostages out. he said this is a time the only words we speak should be few and they should be prayers. that's what he said. of your father said this is the time for all americans to stand together. he didn't take that opportunity to bash carter. but mitt romney is unable to show that kind of leadership. he has failed his 3:00 a.m. tests. >> i just saw the clip of president reagan doing what cynthia described so well after those guys were killed he just said, you know, this is a time when the only words we speak should be few and there should be prayers. that's what he said. >> it's a question of judgment and a question of character and i am afraid mitt romney has shown lack of both this last week. >> i don't like the smell of this, the way they play the birther card, i don't like the smell of the gaming that you think you get votes accusing him of being on the other side of a situation. and to say this to the guys on the other side to the president is bad news. thanks for coming on with your passion and journalistic understanding of what's going on.

it is something to pay attention to this week. violent protests by that video spread to more than a dozen countries. clashes broke out from europe to india. some of the worst in tunisia where they stormed the u.s. embassy. police say three protesters were killed at least, dozens more wounded, all of this despite pleas for calm by world leaders, including egypt. meanwhile, at home a moving ceremony at andrews air force base, something else as the flag-draped coffins of the four killed in libya were brought home, met by secretary of state hillary clinton and president obama. both spoke at this somber and moving ceremony covered live by all the cable networks. >> the flag they served under now carries him home. may god bless the memory of these men that laid down their lives for us all. may god watch over your families and all that love them.

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to prove how great the fit is even under a fantastic dress. the best protection now looks, fits and feels just like underwear. we invite you to get a free sample and try one on too. new poll numbers are down in the presidential race. check the hardball scoreboard. obama has three points lead over romney. 49 to 46. we showed you how president obama is leading in florida, ohio, virginia. and one more state to add, new hampshire. shows the president with a five point lead in mitt romney's adopted home state. key state with small electorate vote. 45-40 for the president. we will be right back.

welcome back to "hardball." for weeks, mitt romney faced criticism from his party for running a campaign short and details, a stealth campaign. he lays out his goals but

doesn't explain the dirty details what it would take to achieve them. "the wall street journal" editorial page seemed to speak for many saying there are political risks for his attempt to win without explaining the economic moment or his own policies. perhaps the problem is romney's policies themselves. he has a tax plan gives the wealthiest americans big cuts, tax increase for the middle class. his plan calls to cap federal spending 20% of gdp, fails to mention what it means in terms of cutting government programs. for romney, it is better to avoid details. this is not new to politics. joy reed and michael steele are both msnbc political analysts. let me try to be fair. romney gives a sense of what he wants to do. he talks about tax relief in terms of getting rid of the estate tax, republicans call the death tax. talks about reducing the

corporate income tax from 35 down to 25, a big cut, and from across the board, talks about across the board cuts of marginal rates for individuals, 35% for the highest rate to 28. a good sense how he will make people happier. then people like david gregory, my colleague across the hall, look what happened when david gregory tried to find out what's under that christmas present, as the cost of of this. mitt romney saying under his plan tax rates go down for everybody. how would he pay for it? says he would take tax deductions for the wealthy. on "meet the press" this past weekend, failed to set a single example. let's watch. >> so everything i want to do with regard to taxation, follow simple principles. bring down rates to encourage growth. keep revenue up limiting

deductions and exemptions, make sure we don't put bigger burden on middle income, i want to lower burden on middle income people. >> governor, where are the specifics how you get to this map. isn't that an issue? >> the specifics are these, which is those principles i described are the heart of my policy. >> give me an example of a loophole you will close. >> i can tell you people at the high end, high income taxpayers have fewer deductions and exemptions. >> here is the problem with his tax plan. numbers don't add up. he says he will drop marginal rate by 20%. repeal estate tax and alternative minimum tax, drop corporate rate to 25%. all told, that would cost $4 trillion in ten years. the problem, mr. chairman, that's a lot of money. >> a lot of money. >> the question i have, why won't he tell us what deductions -- you know the big three deductions. >> house, charity, state and local. that's where the money is. lee sutton says go where the money is. how is he going to go there. >> i don't take issue with your

point, it is a legitimate point. there's a great deal of specificity has to be put on the table. my hope is when we get to debates, we will get through some of that. the american people need to know. likewise, the same true for the president, laying out some of the specificity of keep the middle class tax cuts from bush years in place, how do you cover that $3 trillion that costs. both these gentlemen have to do that. for romney in particular, particularly since you have that mantra you put out there, tax cuts for the wealthy, burdens on the middle class, you have to show with some specificity how they're not going to -- >> to add to it, you said the president, although he keeps tax relief from bush tax cuts for people below 50, he will have more revenue by people above 250. >> that's a significant portion of the middle class, small business owners. >> he is saying there will be pain. >> then you can't tell the middle class they're not going to feel the pain, they'll feel the pain. >> have to pay the old tax rate,

not getting that break like under bush. seems to me he wants to tell you the benes, i am not telling you the cost. >> all dessert, no broccoli. chairman steele did a great job sliding in there talking about small business owners. 3% of small business owners are s corporations taxed more than 250,000 a year, hitting like the chicago tribune when you talk about people paying more taxes. the problem with romney is as you said, chris, everybody knows where the money is. there are finite number of loopholes, tax breaks on health care plans and tax breaks on mortgage interest. everyone knows what they are and they're all popular. and romney doesn't want to offend anyone. he is trying to run the world's most inoffensive campaign, except talking about libya. he doesn't want to tell people what he is going to do because there's a constituency for each loophole.

he doesn't want to say that's what he is going to get rid of. >> russell law from the senate committee, don't tax me, don't -- somebody you never met. >> joy, i appreciate your sliding in there that it's not the same for obama. obama is not being clear in saying -- >> he is going to tax the people -- >> hold it. taxing the rich more is not going to cover the cost of the health care system, not going to cover the cost of protecting all he wants to protect in education, all the new teachers to pay for, all the fire, all the money he wants to flow back to the states, where is it coming from? the reality is neither of these gentlemen are being explicit nor honest how they're going to cover the burden both of them put on the bottom line of the american taxpayer. >> that's not accurate, mr. chairman. the president put out and worked with john boehner to come up with this grand bargain.

put a lot of specifics on the table what they would do. when you look at mitt romney's plan, you talk about giving insurance companies the $716 billion in subsidies and gimmees obama care took. talking about increasing defense spending, zero out cap gains and things that hit big corporations, dropping corporate tax. you do all of that, you put us more than 4 or 5 trillion in the hole. romney won't give you one thing he will do. >> you threw in some of the ryan stuff, zeroing out cap gains. that's a ryan idea. >> and i thought romney was on ryan's program. >> his spending is equally fuzzy. he promised to cut defense spending, more spending on medicare, social security. how can you make the numbers work? according to ezra klein, smart guy, if romney is elected by third year in office, every federal program that's not medicare, social security or defense will be cut, on average by 40%. that means medicaid, infrastructure, education, food

safety, road safety, postal service, basic research, foreign aid, housing subsidy, census, pell grant, trademark office, fda, all has to be cut on average 40%. not even remotely plausible. the consequences would be catastrophic. a lot of republicans when they vote say there's nothing in the federal government for me, i don't care how much they cut it. >> that's not true. >> cuts that are significant to me, i am trying to give your politician a break. must be some reason why. >> what republicans generally argue is that the governments, you know, going back to certainly bush years and even back to reagan has grown. so you have this new breed which is old school thinking of let's control growth and size and spending of the federal government. all the things you listed, my question would be why can't we as a nation have an honest discussion about value and worth and expense of the programs, maybe not a 40% cut, maybe 1

>> if romney proposes those cuts, shouldn't he begin that conversation? >> so should the president. the president can't run around talking about spending this money and not tell us where it is going to come from. quite frankly, the rich are going to pay for the spending he wants to do. >> barack obama, you can argue with his policies all you want, ain't running as a guy giving stuff away. >> are you kidding me? >> chris, one of the things left out. >> i get it. he cuts opportunity scholarship for poor kids in district of columbia? >> mr. chairman. >> that's an example. >> back in, they're still back in there. >> back in because people screamed. >> in part because of the wars and military spending. mitt romney wants to double down on bush era military spending. if we are running around fighting foreign wars, you can't say you're closing the deficit. that part of the budget has to be open to cuts. that's why we have something called the cliff that we're heading for end of the year. >> you know, that wonderful person talking there, joy-ann reed is the same brain i have. you're better at it.

you're better saying it than i am. >> i appreciate that. >> thank you, michael steele. you know more stuff. thank you. isn't she better than you? >> oh, please. >> up next, two presidential candidates walk into a barbershop. there's a joke. wonder what happened to mitt romney and barack obama? got hair cuts together? well, the sideshow is next. this is "hardball." want to try to crack it? yeah, that's the way to do it!

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>> it is the great white dope. >> how is the post convention bump? >> wasn't easy. >> you're hip, how do i say it, urban. your ur-bama. >> remember when madonna and britney kissed? >> do you? >> no. they tell me it was a big pop culture moment. >> maybe put our differences aside, start our own boy band, me, you, joe. he does a mean falsetto. >> i would like to call the band new direction. >> there's already one direction. >> we all know your direction. look where it has gotten us. >> not my direction, one direction. >> it is just like you to think there's only one direction. >> there is only one direction. that's the band's name. >> i have to go. do you have change for a thousand? >> got change for a thousand? that's one part of a series by

stun creative suitably entitled presidential clippings. next, what's in store with this guy. >> his small talk altered foreign policy. he once ran a marathon because it was on his way. sasquatch has taken a photograph of him. he is the most interesting man in the world. >> i don't always drink beer, when i do, i prefer that. >> can his small talk bring in campaign cash? the most interesting man in the world or the actor that plays him in that beer commercial weighed in on the presidential race. jonathan goldsmith is teaming up to host a fund-raiser for president obama next week. finally, no secret mitt finally, no secret mitt romney and jon huntsman weren't chums in college in the primaries.

huntsman was on "morning joe" and "andrea mitchell reports." today he may have the vote but not much else. >> what is the difference between president obama's strategy and philosophy dealing with arab spring versus what governor romney is proposing? >> well, i don't know what governor romney is proposing at this point, i am a little confused on what president obama is doing. >> that's kind of a problem, isn't it, you don't know what mitt romney is proposing? >> it is kind of a problem. >> have you decided who you're voting for. >> i support mitt romney. mentioned that a long time ago. >> when was the last time you talked to him? >> i don't ever talk to him. >> enough said. >> what a line and the conversation ends there. back when he was still with the presidential race, huntsman dubbed romney a perfectly lubricated weather vane for his shifting positions.

last week, president obama said, quote, i am the president, this week he showed it. mitt romney has a lot to learn. you're watching "hardball," the place for politics. ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] introducing a reason...to look twice.

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he loved this country. and he chose to serve it and served it well. they had a mission and they believed in it. they knew the danger and they accepted it. they didn't simply embrace the american ideal, they lived it. they embodied it. the courage, the hope, and yes, the idealism, that fundamental american belief that we can leave this world a little better than before. that's who they were and that's who we are.

>> that was president obama today of course at the ceremony to mark the transfer of remains for the four americans killed in libya this week, ended a week in which the eyes of the world were on the president. let's listen to more of that amazing ceremony this afternoon. >> the flag they served under now carries them home. may god bless the memory of these men that laid down their lives for us all. may god watch over your families and all who loved them, and may god bless these united states of america. >> there was a moment in american history there. last week when obama spoke at the democratic national committee in charlotte, he said i am the president. he showed what it is to be president. willie browns and erin mcpike, i was so proud of this country then, mayor, there you saw two people that had been political adversaries, the moment when the secretary of state reached to

grab his hand after those remarks is something else. i am sentimental to admit it. i can't think of a better way to celebrate our americanism than the way we did it just then. your thoughts. >> he certainly did demonstrate in this particular crisis that he is in fact what he said he was in charlotte, and that is i am the president, and he did so with absolutely no degree of malice. he indicated very clearly with a great degree of pride that he represents all of us and in his words, we are part of it. >> i like the secretary of state. i was looking at her, she was somber, shaking her head affirmatively to the president, those are people she sends into the field, gives mission toss them, knows what the risks are when she gives them. >> this may be the moment hillary clinton crossed the threshold of looking like potential commander in chief. remember in 2003 when she voted

to authorize the war in iraq. she gathered senate staff in the office and explained why she did that. that was about appearing like potential commander in chief. this if she runs for president in 2006 will be the moment we said she crossed the threshold and actually is that potential commander in chief. >> she also spoke as secretary of state at the ceremony there and introduced the president. let's listen to her at the moment stevens' body was brought back with the other three. >> now let me have the great honor of introducing someone who came to the state department earlier this week to grieve with us, he well understands and values the work that these men were doing for our country. the president of the united states.

>> well, secretary clinton also had strong words for the terrorists. this is the tough part. let's listen. >> their sacrifice will never be forgotten. we will bring to justice those that took them from us. we will stand fast against the violence on our diplomatic missions. we will continue to do everything in our power to protect americans serving overseas, whether that means increasing security at the diplomatic posts, working with host countries which have an obligation to provide security, and making it clear that justice will come to those who harm americans. >> the people of egypt, libya, yemen and tunisia did not trade the tyranny of a dictator for the tyranny of a mob. reasonable people and

responsible leaders in these countries need to do everything they can to restore security and hold accountable those behind these violent acts. >> mayor, i was in charlotte surrounded by a crowd when the president spoke i thought powerful words at the convention in accepting nomination for re-election. he said i am the president. i thought those were words of many meanings. how did you read them? >> i think he was asserting for the benefit of the crowd on the other side that he is in fact in charge, and believe me, if he is in charge, he is going to exercise 100% of the powers of the presidency on behalf of all citizens. he conveyed that in the most direct way. he conveyed that as evidence of strength, and that's how i read it. >> i read it something like that.

how did you read it? seems apt for what we saw this week. he is a roll play, the others come up with sharp lines, but no responsibility. >> it is about two things. one, about rallying americans behind him because we're supposed to feel patriotic about the president of the united states, that's what we have been taught. the other thing it was about was getting inside mitt romney's head. we will see a lot of of mind games going on between the two. >> that's interesting. >> mitt romney and president obama don't seem to have much respect for each other. mitt romney clearly has, you know, some issue with it because president obama won in 2008 and he didn't become the nominee. they will be getting in each other's heads going into the debates.

we sure will see a lot of the mind games in the debates next month. >> i thought the decision by romney to run for president, even as the president hadn't been inaugurated showed disdain. i don't want to get into this too much, i don't like the look of it. he seemed to think this guy can be beat by me. i am going to beat him even though i am not a first rate politician, i can beat this guy. there's certain, struck me as arrogant point of view, already gearing up his campaign. do you have any thoughts on that? i thought romney still has that arrogance. >> let me tell you, i think that romney and many of the republicans from the day mr. obama was elected did not believe he should be the president of these united states. they set about from the moment of his inauguration to figure out how to undo that. and they have lulled themselves and convinced themselves that they are totally right. they can't get the american

public to follow suit. i have a message for mitt romney. i wouldn't do head games with barack obama. i don't think he is smart enough, clever enough, and clearly has no strength about him as all. obama will rise to the occasion, be the number one draft choice he's always been. >> you're the best. thanks so much, willie brown, former speaker of the assembly in california, great mayor of san francisco. you're so good on this. we'll be right back. capella university understands businesses are trying to come back from rough economic times. employees are being forced to do more with less. and the need for capable leaders is greater than ever. when you see these problems do you take a step back, or do you want to dive right in? with a degree in business from capella university, you'll have the knowledge to go further in your career than you ever thought possible. let's get started at capella.edu why they're always there to talk. i love you, james.

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we mentioned president obama's sizable lead in ohio, florida, virginia. among likely voters, leads romney in ohio by 7, florida by 5, virginia by 5. in florida, 42% of registered voters say the country is heading in the right direction. 52% say the country is in the wrong direction, a ten-point gap. but the gap has been narrowed and that's important and significantly since may. back then, just 39% said right direction. 57% said wrong direction. same trend in virginia, positive, again. the gap, here again, half what it was in may. many people say ohio could decide the election. 44% say right direction, 54% say wrong direction. this margin of improvement in

the public outlook could decide this election. and we'll be right back. so, i' walking down the street, sfx:ounds of marching band and crowd cheering just you know walking, sfx: sounds of marching band and crowd cheering and i found myself in the middle of this parade honoring america's troops. which is actually quite fitting because geico has been serving the military for over 75 years. aawh no, look, i know this is about the troops and not about me. right, but i don't look like that. who can i write a letter to about this? geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance.

i've been fortunate to win on golf's biggest stages. but when joint pain and stiffness from psoriatic arthritis hit, even the smallest things became difficult. i finally understood what serious joint pain is like. i talked to my rheumatologist and he prescribed enbrel. enbrel can help relieve pain, stiffness, and stop joint damage. because enbrel, etanercept, suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. [ phil ] get back to the things that matter most. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you.

[ doctor ] enbrel, the number one biolog medicine prescribed by rheumatologists. we're back. it's called america's newspaper for its east to west coast content, made famous 30 years ago for its ubiquitous presence in hotel rooms. airport lounges and subway stops. today marks the start of "usa today's" redesign effort with a newspaper, look at it, that looks like a website and a new website that looks like an ipad app. could the same newspaper once ridiculed for its info-graphics like its weather page be ahead of the curb again? how does "usa today" keep up with the minute to minute news cycle especially in the heated election cycle? with me the publisher of "usa today" and my old friend who got he started in newspapers. one thing about this newspaper, i'm going to hold it up here, it looks totally different. the date up there and very much

like in new digital fashion. it doesn't have this old newspaper thing on it. "usa today." and what else? what's new? >> there's a lot different about it. the logo, see the blue ball? we left it clean today but starting tomorrow you're going to start to see things in it. we're actually programming it. it's the first living logo. where the news department is going to program it like it does the whole paper. go back in some of the section you start to see things that represent stories in the logo. >> i keep thinking people in the political game, i used to do weekly wires, i would say, who do i have to flak? the networks, the weeklies, the wires? and the weekly magazines. i'd think if i have "time," "news week." cbs. the "l.a. times," the "wall street journal" i had it covered. how do politicians look at any paper in getting their message across? >> they love us. we represent america to them. we really -- this is a very populist newspaper. people out in the country love us.

they love us in ohio. all those states you were talking about. the swing states. >> it's all on the front. >> it's easy to read. they love the content. we really do -- we write politics for voters, not for the politicians. you know the "times," the "journal." >> do you have a slant? >> no. we have strong opinions. the public will tell you we're unbiased. when we do an editorial we find somebody who thinks exactly the opposite and get them to write right next to it and cover both opinions. >> covering the campaign, and how you do it. tip o'neill used to read this newspaper. he's be in front of the car reading the sports because you were the only paper in the country that delayed sports. the phillies could be playing san diego or somebody in san francisco and it would be in, the late game. how do you do it? what's your deadline, two hours ago? >> i got to tell you, that's changed a lot from those days. that's what i loved about the paper, then, too. the world of content has changed. you and i know. a lot it digital.

i used to get in a hotel room and love the fact i could read fourpair graphs of the giants game. we still have to give them more interesting takes. >> we always say 24/7 news cycle. so obama takes a shot, romney takes a shot. back and forth. what's that going to be like the next two months? >> it's going to be all over. we're going to have it on digital as soon as it happens. an hour later we're going to have a lot of commentary on it. and two hours later we're going to have a deeper story with more response and then it will be in the paper even bigger. with more context, with more, you know, we really need to take each of these different formats we publish in and be perfect for them. you know, you have a cell phone on you. you want to know if something important just happened. you're not going to want to read

40 inches on it but you want to know that it happened. then you want to know if somebody important said something about it. we have to deliver you those things on each platform. we have to be as good on each as we are in the paper. >> used to be there were a couple reporters like david of the "washington post" or johnny apple of "the new york times" where they would say this guy's a good guy or this woman's a good person, take a look at them and that mattered. are there any more gate keepers? >> sure. when you actually -- the people want that. in today's world, journalists, it's become much more personal, journalism. >> i agree. you know why people watch this show? they want to know what i think. >> that's right. >> why do you have an opinion? people want an opinion. >> our reporters we have to give running room. we're bringing on pronounced voices. michael wolf has an opinion or two. we're bringing on others and giving existing reporters like susan page who are terrific more running room to be out there to tell the story their way. >> what was the most important news event in 1987? >> i have no idea. >> you hired me. anyway, put me on "san francisco examiner." thank you, larry cramer. important news story to me. when we return, "let me finish" with america's leaders coming together.

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"let me finish" tonight with this. i think something fine is happening in american leadership. it is holding together, getting stronger.

the bonds of our leaders getting warmer, closer. i watched bill clinton give the speech of his life, saw the impact in a new polling that shows greater confidence in the economy, a confidence born of knowing a little more about what has been happening which should give hope for improvement. i watched secretary clinton with president obama today out at andrews air force base honoring ambassador chris stevens and the three others killed in benghazi. that moving scene is america at our best, honoring our fellow citizens, especially those who serve our country. as individuals, and public servants. worthy of personal reverence. what a contrast with the rattie politics played on the other side. the dirt ball attack that never seems to end of this president's birth, painting him as the other. someone that pals around with terrorists, who sympathizes with the attackers, who gets his politics from overseas. i would like to hope when they have to judge a president holding up our country's honor and saluting the troops as individuals, not simply as force levels, they will see the merit in the president here. they will see in contrast the kind of dirt ball politics that